Musical instrument



March 19, 1940. 5, SUMNER 2,194,332

MUSICAL ms'rm'msm Filed latch 15, 193B Sheets-Sheet 1 March 19, 1940. 5SUMNER 2,194,332

MUSICAL INSTRUMENT Filed larch 16, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 1i Fag.

I/V MFA T017, ITO/MI 5. JUN/H77.

Patented Mar. 19, 1940 UNITED STATES MUSICAL INSTRUMENT John S. Sumner,Minneapolis, Minn, assignor of one-third to Lawrence H. McEwen andonethird to Iner Oliver Engebretson, both of Minneapolis, Minn.

Application March 16,

4 Claims.

This invention relates to musical wind instruments, and particularly tosuch instruments of the ocarina type, comprising a substantially closed,hollow body with a mouth piece having a blow slit extending therethroughand associated with an oppositely disposed sound producing divider lip.

Ocarinas have heretofore usually been molded or cast from clay and othermaterials, two complementary shell sections being formed by moldingmethod, and the two sections then being ad hesively secured together toform a hollow body. The tone qualities of such instruments have beenpoor due to the nature of the materials available for molding orcasting, and ftu thermore such instruments are quite fragile and whendropped or struck, often break.

It is an object of my invention to provide a materially improved andhighly eflieient wind instrument of the Ocarina type which may beconstructed from solid materials such as the harder woods known to havetime tone producing qualities, and further to incorporate in such aninstrument a number of difierent'specific woods or other materials,thereby obtaining the highest quality of tones.

Another object is the provision of an improved Ocarina or similarmusical instrument which will enable both a melody and an accompanimentor chords to be played simultaneously without shifting the mouth fromthe mouth piece provided with a pair of blow slits each communicatingwith a different sound chamber.

It is a further object'to provide a simple, efficient method for makingmy improved instrument wherein the hollow body, mouth piece and soundproducing divider lip are formed from a series of flat sectionsconstructed of wood or other suitable materials.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will be morefully set forth in the following description made in connection with theaccompanying drawings, wherein like reference characters refer to thesame or similar parts throughout the various views, and in which:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of one form of my instrument designed to playthe melody only;

Fig. 2 is a cross section taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1, showing theassembled laminated body construction;

3 is a bottom plan view of the same;

Fig. 4 is a cross section through the mouth piece of my instrument takenon the line 4 i of Fig. 3;

Figs. 5 to 11 inclusive, are plan views showing the successive flatsections of wood or other ma- 1938, Serial No. 196,194

of my instrument;

Fig. 12 is a top'plan View of a somewhat differout form of the inventionadapted to play both the melody and the accompaniment or chords;

Fig. 13 is a vertical cross section taken on the line Iii-J3 of Fig. 12,and

Fig, i l is a bottom plan view of the second form. of my invention.

Referring now to the form of my invention shown in. Figs. 1 to 11 and myprocess for making the same, I first cut out or form aseries of flatsections or laminations, as clearly shown in Figs. 5 to 11 inclusive.The several sections may be cut by a scroll saw or otherwise from thinhardwood boards, or other suitable, relatively thin material, and Iprefer to utilize different specific woods or other materials forseveral of the various sections or pieces shown in Figs. 5 to 11; forexample, one particular hardwood such as ebony, mahogany or rosewood canbe used for the top and bottom sections, a different wood for the nextintermediate sections and a still different wood for the centralsection. I have no preference as to the order or arrangement of anyparticular woods, but prefer to use in my method of manufacture two orthree different woods for some of the sections.

Paper or metal patterns may be made up to enable the sections to beproperly cut and shaped for instruments of different sizes and toproduce tones in difierent keys and octaves whereby melody, tenor,baritone, bass and other parts may be played by a number of musiciansutilizing my appropriate instruments in playing together.

The instrument illustrated in Figs. 1 to 3 comprises seven sections orpieces, the top section being numbered 2! and the successive sectionsbeing numbered to 2"! inclusive on the drawings. It will be noted thatwith the exception of the tongue portions of the intermediate sections,all of the sections or pieces have more or less the same generalconfiguration; The top and bottom sections 2! and 2'! respectively inthe preparation of the sections are not apertured, but act as closuresfor the hollow body formed. The intermediate sections 22 to 26 are eachprovided with relatively large, irregularly shaped, central apertures,the apertures of the several sections beingof the same general shape,and of the same general shape as the outline of said sections, andpreferably increasing in size from section 22 to the central section 24,and then decreasing in size from section 24 to section 26.

Sections 22 to 26 are provided with registering terial which, whenassembled, make up the body tongue portions 22a to 25a respectively,which cumulatively constitute a mouth piece when the sections areassembled. It will further be noted that the section 25 is provided witha lip portion 26b disposed at the mouth piece inside of the aperturedportion which, as will be later shown, is processed to form inconjunction with a blow slit and sound emission aperture, the soundproducing divider of the instrument.

In making my instrument, the several sections or laminations 2! to Hinclusive are superimposed one upon the other, with section 2'! at thebottom and section 2! at the top. They are permanently secured to getherin superimposed relation preferably by the use of glue or other bondingmaterial applied to their registering portions. The superimposedsections with the adhesive material between engaging portions may beclamped together until the bonding material thoroughly hardens, formingthe hollow body shown in Figs. 1 to 3. The exterior edges of the severalsuperimposed sections may then be cut or scraped down and abrasivelytreated, or otherwise processed, to produce a very smooth, continuous,peripheral surface throughout the entire body. The mouth piece M formedby the several tongues 22a. to 26a of the sections is then processed toprovide an inclined blow slit S. Assuming tha the body is constructed ofwood or other combustible material, this blow slit may be convenientlyburned through the mouth piece by heating an appropriately shaped metalelement to a high temperature and forcing the same from the end ofmouth. piece M inwardly at the cor rect angle with reference to thecenter line of the mouth piece to cause slit S to terminate in theposition shown in Fig. 2 at a point oppositely disposed to the inneredge of section 26 at the point of the lip portion 26b. The slit Sdiminishes in width at its inner end and terminates in a quiterestricted, elongated wind discharge orifice 39 (see Fig. 4).

My next steps in the production of the instru- 'ment involve theformation of the finger holes and thumb holes for controlling theproduction of tones and the formation of the sound emitting aperturewhich cooperates with the blow slit and sound producing lip. steps is,of course, immaterial. In fact some of the apertures may be formed, ifdesired, in the top and bottom sections 2! and 21 before the sectionsare secured together.

The sound emission aperture 3!, as shown in Fig. 3, is formed throughsection 25 in the lip portion 2% thereof and is disposed at the winddischarge orifice of the blow slit S. .The formation of aperture 3!leaves a curved edge 3m opposed to slit S. On the exterior of the body aportion about said aperture 3| is countersunk to produce a relativelysharp bevelled edge along said lip, as will be seen in Fig. 2. Thumbholes 32 and 33 are formed through the bottom portionof the body at theappropriate points for convenient covering by the thumbs of the rightand left hands respectively.

.Two sets of finger holes 34 and 35- are formed through the topoi thebody, as shown. in Fig. l, conveniently disposed in more or less arcuatearrangement in each instance for convenient covering and selectiveuncoveringby the several fingers of the left and right handsrespectively.

The instrument constructed in accordance with the described steps of mymethod is played in the usualmanner of an ocarina and possesses veryexcellent tone qualtities and is comparatively light The sequence of theseveral in weight. My method it will be seen enables various flat boardmaterials to be utilized to produce a rounded, irregularly shaped hollowmusical instrument such as an Ocarina. The selection of severaldifferent varieties of wood or other material for some of the sectionsnot only is responsible for the highest qualityof tones, but moreoverproduces a very beautiful exterior appearance for the instrument.

In the form of the invention shown in Figs, 12 to 14 inclusive, thestructure and method of making the. same are generally similar to theconstruction and method previously described. This instrument, however,contains two soundchambers A and B respectively, and the mouth piecethereof is provided with two blow slits 4i and 4|, each cooperating witha sound producing divider lip 42' and 43 respectively, one of said lipsbeing associated with each of the sound chambers A and B. As shown, thiscombination instrument is made up from nine superimposed sections ofwood or other suitable material, although any number can be utilized, itbeing preferable to use an uneven number since the two sound chambers Aand B are divided by a central unapertured flat section 44.

It will also be noted that in this form the flat sections next to thetop and bottom unapertured sections of the body have bevelled edgesflaring toward the central section of the sound chamber A or B, as thecase may be. The mouth piece 1 is made up as before from the projectingor tongue portions of the several sections or laminations intermediateof the top and bottom section. The blow slits 4G and 45 are both formedin the same mouth piece in substantially vertical alignment when theinstrument is played, but diverging from the end of the mouth pieceinwardly so that their Wind discharge orifices may be properlypositioned in opposition to the lips 62 and 43 of the respectivechambers.

The upper portion of the body is provided with two sets of finger holesas in the form of the instrument first described, positioned andarranged for convenient manipulation by the left and right hands, andthe sound emission aperture 45 for the upper sound chamber is madethrough the top portion just rearwardly of the mouth piece and inapproximate alignment with the sound discharge aperture 46 cooperatingwith the lower sound chamber. As shown, only a pair of thumb holes i?are formed through the lower portion of the body adapted, however, toproduce three different tones, one tone from each of the apertures whenit is opened and the other closed,

and a third tone when both apertures are open.

The sounds so produced act as accompanient or chords for anumber of thetones produced. in the upper portion of the device.

In playing the combination instrument the musician may tongue the lowerblow slit 40 to produce staccato effects in the accompaniment, or mayblow through both slits M and 42 in cases where chord tones can be usedwith tones produced in the upper portion of my instrument.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that I have invented animproved musical instru ment of the ocarina type which has excellent andaccurate tone qualities, is comparatively light in weight and will notbe easily fractured.

It will further be apparent that I have provided a thoroughly practical,comparatively simple and eilicient method for making my iniprovedinstrument.

It will, of course, be understood that various iii) iii)

changes may be made in the form, details, arrangement and proportions ofthe several parts without departing from the scope of my invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A musical instrument of the ocarina type, comprising a series offiat, superimposed sections secured tightly together, the outermostsections serving as closures and intermediate sections being providedwith enlarged apertures to cooperatively form with the said outermostsections a hollow body, said intermediate sections having registeringtongue portions which cumulatively form a mouth piece, said mouth piecehaving an elongated blow slit extending therethrough and a soundproducing lip formed on the edge of one of said sections and disposed inopposition to the inner end of said slit, the upper portion of saidhollow body having a series of finger holes there through and the lowerportion of said body having a sound emitting aperture disposed in juxtaposition to said lip.

2. A musical instrument of the ocarina type, comprising a series offlat, superimposed sections secured tightly together, the outermostsections serving as closures and intermediate sections being providedwith enlarged apertures to cooperatively form with the said outermostsections a hollow body having at least one sound chamber therein, theapertured sections cooperating to de fine said sound chamber havingtheir apertures decreasing in size from the centrally located section ofsaid chamber toward the sides of said chamber, certain of said sectionshaving registering portions which cumulatively form a mouth piece, saidmouth piece having an elongated blow slit extending therethrough and asound producing lip formed on the edge of one of said sections anddisposed in opposition to the inner end of said slit, said hollow bodyhaving a plurality of finger holes therethrough, said body also having asound emitting aperture disposed in juxta position to said lip.

3. A musical instrument of the ocarina type, comprising a hollow bodycomposed of a series of flat, superimposed sections secured tightlytogether, the outermost sections serving as closures, certain of saidintermediate sections being provided with enlarged communicatingapertures, one of said intermediate sections being unapertured to dividethe space within said body into two independent sound chambers, certainof said sections having projecting registering portions whichcumulatively form a mouth piece, said mouth piece having a pair ofelongated blow slits extending therethrough, one associated with each ofsaid sound chambers, a sound producing lip formed on an aperturedportion of one of said sections and disposed in opposition to the innerend of one of said blow slits, and a similar sound producing lip for theother sound chamber disposed in opposition to th second blow slit, theapertured portions cooperating to produce said sound lips serving assound emitting means, the outer ends of both of said sound slitsterminating at the end of said mouth piece, a plurality of finger holesthrough a portion of said body communicating with one of said soundchambers for controlling the tones produced from said sound chamber, anda plurality of finger holes through another portion of said bodycommunicating with said second sound chamber for controlling tonesproduced thereby.

4. A musical instrument of the ocarina type, comprising a series offlat, superimposed sections of general ovoidal shape bonded together toform a rounded ovoidal body, the outermost sections serving as closuresand certain intermediate sections being provided with enlargedcommunicating apertures, and one of said intermediate sections beingunapertured to divide the space defined by said apertured portions intotwo independent sound chambers, certain of said sections havingprojecting registering portions which cumulatively form a mouth piece,said mouth piece having a pair of longitudinally disposed, spaced blowslits extending therethrough, one associated with each of said soundchambers, a sound emission aperture through said body in communicationwith one of said sound chambers and a second sound emission aperturethrough said body communicating with the said second sound chamber, saidsound emission apertures cooperating with portions of said body toproduce sound lips, each disposed in opposition to the inner end of oneof said blow slits, and two sets of finger holes through said body, eachset communicating with one of said sound chambers.

JOHN S. SUMNER. 5o

